Devices of the above kind can be used in outdoor ponds where wastewater is stored and where evaporation is needed to concentrate the waste for further treatment. These ponds present an environmental challenge, as leakage from such ponds can lead to serious groundwater contamination. The requirements of environmental authorities regarding the quality of lining of such ponds are becoming more stringent and therefore the costs thereof tend to increase. For these reasons, there exists a need to reduce the number and size of such evaporation ponds by increasing the rate of evaporation therefrom.
Increasing the evaporation from ponds is also advantageous in the production of solid products like salts and minerals.
Known means of increasing evaporation from ponds of the above specified kinds include the use of spray nozzles to force the pond water into the air as a spray. Spraying, however, has been found to be environmentally dangerous as the wind can carry the spray drops beyond the catchment area of the pond to open ground, where the drops can then percolate down to the water table with their load of contaminants.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a new evaporation device.